The Haystack Monument located inside the campus of Massachusetts’ Williams College was constructed to honor a group of students who formed the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mission to preach their faith in different parts of the world. The monument, which acts as a popular prayer spot, was vandalized multiple times earlier this month with phrases like “Hail Satan” and “Pagan Rule.” In response to the defacement of the Haystack Monument, President Maud Mandel issued a statement emphasizing that the act was a violation of the law. In a subsequent memo, six days after the initial incident, Mandel informed the community that the Haystack Monument had been defaced once again. The defacement, occurring late on Friday night, was similar to the first incident, featuring slogans such as ‘Hell is hot’ and ‘Shame on you.’
Fox News reports:
A monument dedicated to Christian missionaries that serves as a popular spot for prayer was vandalized earlier multiple times at Williams College earlier this month.
The Haystack Monument on Williams College campus was dedicated to a handful of students, who would eventually go on to form the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and preach their faith across the world.
“While missionaries’ stated purposes professed service, sacrifice and the desire to make the world a better place, attitudes and language were laced with Christian imperialism and colonialism,” Williams College states on its official website. “As we have grappled with our history, Haystack anniversaries have changed in their focus from a celebration of Christian missionary activity to reflect broader societal movements.”However, the monument was vandalized multiple times with phrases offensive phrases like “Pagan Rule,” and “Hail Satan.”
The college’s President Maud Mandel initially responded with a statement that this act was a violation of the law, as well as observing, “The Haystack Monument has been a focal point for ongoing campus discussions about Williams’ institutional history. We expect those discussions to continue in the next academic year.”
Six days later, Mandel wrote in another memo that the monument had been defaced again.
“The Haystack Monument was defaced again late Friday night, in a way very similar to the first incident. This time the slogans were ‘Hell is hot,’ ‘Shame on you,’ and ‘Ouch’ as well as an obscenity.”
Read the full article here.
About Post Author
